See Also: conquer(dictionary)
conquer(dictionary)

conquer (iou)



conquer verb. ME.
[Old French conquerre from Proto-Romance from Latin conquirere seek for, procure, gain, win, formed as CON- + quaerere seek.]
I. verb trans.
Acquire, get possession of; attain to. ME-M16.
Caxton Brenne had..conquerd a grete lordship thurgh maryage.
Acquire by force of arms, win in war; subjugate (a country etc.) by force. ME.
A. Alison At all hazards we must conquer a maritime peace. H. A. L. Fisher They had conquered Syria and Egypt.
Overcome (an opponent) by force; vanquish. ME.
R. W. Emerson The Germans, whom the Romans found hard to conquer in two hundred..years.
transf. & fig. Overcome or subdue (habit, passion, etc.) by an effort of will; get the better of; master; gain by a struggle; win the affections or sexual favours of. LME.
C. Hill The idea of conquering poverty through conquering idleness. A. Lurie I conquered the impulse to hide in my room.
b. Climb successfully and reach the top of (a mountain). L19.
II. verb intrans.
Be the conqueror; make conquests; be victorious. ME.
Shakespeare Richard III Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake! W. H. Prescott Cortez..did not conquer from the mere ambition of conquest.
conquerable adjective able to be conquered L15.
conqueress noun (now rare) a female conqueror LME.
conqueringly adverb (rare) in a conquering manner, victoriously E17.
conquerless adjective (poet. rare) invincible L16.